Campuses

Battling Violence Against Women

For the seventh year, students and community members from AULA will participate in V-Day and join a global voice that is demanding an end to violence against women. V-Day is a catalyst that promotes creative events to increase awareness, raise money, and revitalize the spirit of existing anti-violence organizations.

“The World Health Organization states that worldwide, almost one third of all women who have been in a relationship have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by their intimate partner. In some regions this is much higher,” says Terra Forbes, co-director of the 2014 AULA V-Day events. “And that is just cases of intimate relationships, not including attacks from unknown persons.”

AULA will be offering two V-Day performances: V-Day’s signature performance, “A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant and A Prayer” on Friday, February 28, 2014 and “Any One of Us: Words From Prison” on Saturday, March 1, 2014. Both performances will be held on campus at 7:00 p.m.

In advance of the performances, on Thursday, February 13 from 8:00 a.m. until 6 p.m., organizers are hosting a bake sale to raise funds for anti-violence organizations. Community members will also have the opportunity to purchase a singing telegram for their favorite student or colleague. Later that evening at 6:30 p.m. will boast AULA’s first V-Day open mic night. The theme is the V-Day movement, and all forms of artistic expression are welcome.Everyone, regardless of gender, is invited to participate.

“Violence against women has affected every single person I know in some way,” notes Forbes. “V-Day gives us a voice to act against it – to take this serious problem out from under the rug it gets swept under and shine a light on it. This is my third year participating in V-Day at AULA and I am always honored to be a part of such a wonderful community of activists.”